Field of the Invention
This application relates to techniques to enhance safety of vehicles powered by fuels that are stored at high pressure.
Description of the Related Art
One approach to improve automotive emissions is to power automobiles with cleaner fuels such as natural gas. When used as an automobile fuel source, natural gas is stored in specialized tanks at high pressure. This allows an automobile powered by natural gas to have greater range. Certain precautions have been developed to address safety concerns with storing natural gas at high pressure. In one approach, a thermally activated pressure relief device (PRD) is coupled with the tank to vent the contents in the event of a fire. The PRD can open a valve to vent the canister if a thermal threshold is exceeded.